This Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (AS for RE) was created by the Rotherham Agreed Syllabus Conference in consultation with RE Today, a national support agency for RE, and approved by the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) for all our community schools. It is the legal basis for RE in Rotherham: RE is locally determined, so Local Authority schools which implement the syllabus will be teaching what the law requires and fulfilling their statutory duty with regard to RE.

It is a legal requirement for pupils to have opportunities to learn about the principal religions in the UK while they are at school. In Rotherham this means schools are to plan to teach about:

KS1: Christianity + Judaism (some teaching about Islam can also be used)

KS2: Christianity + Islam + Hinduism

The National Curriculum states the legal requirement that:

“Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based, and which:

• Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and

• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.”

Intent

At Badsley Primary School, the teaching of RE provokes challenging questions about meaning and purpose in life, beliefs about God, ultimate reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge and understanding of a range of religions and world views, enabling them to develop their ideas, values and identity. It should develop an aptitude for dialogue in pupils so that they can participate positively in our society which is diverse in relation to religions and world views. It should cultivate the spiritual, moral social and cultural development of all pupils.

Implementation

Our pupils learn how to study religions and world views, making progress by reflecting on the impact of religions and world views on contemporary life locally, nationally and globally to increasing levels of complexity and depth. Teaching aims to ensure that all pupils:

Know about and understand a range of religions and world views, so that they can:

•Describe, explain and analyse beliefs and practices, recognising the diversity which exists within and between communities;

•Identify, investigate and respond to questions posed by, and responses offered by some of the sources of wisdom1 found in religions and world views;

•Appreciate and appraise the nature, significance and impact of different ways of life and ways of expressing meaning.

Express ideas and insights about the nature, significance and impact of religions and world views, so that they can:

•Explain reasonably their ideas about how beliefs, practices and forms of expression influence individuals and communities;

•Express with increasing discernment their personal reflections and critical responses to questions and teachings about identity, diversity, meaning and value.

•Appreciate and appraise varied dimensions of religion.

Gain and deploy the skills needed to engage seriously with religions and world views, so that they can:

•Find out about and investigate key concepts and questions of belonging, meaning, purpose and truth, responding creatively;

•Enquire into what enables different communities to live together respectfully for the wellbeing of all;

•Articulate beliefs, values and commitments clearly in order to explain reasons why they may be important in their own and other people’s lives.

We also have links with local faith leaders, who often come into school to be part of assemblies and other teaching where appropriate.

Impact

Through RE lessons pupils learn to articulate clear and coherent accounts of their personal beliefs, ideas, values and experiences while respecting the right of others to have different views, values and ways of life. RE prepares children and young people to live in a local society, but also in a region, a national community and the world as a whole. RE teaching at Badsley helps to develop pupils understanding of the rich diversity of Rotherham, Yorkshire the UK and the world.